Reuniting potion
by Elisabeth666
Summary: Severitus fic. Harry's 1st year. After drinking charm-revealing potion Harry had suddenly changed his appearance (he wouldn't turn into a girl). The secret that was kept for 11 years revealed. What would Severus do?
1. Chapter 1 How it all begins

Author's note.

Hi, guys!:) Decided to write new Severitus story. The beginning is the same as in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. The time of the 1st chapter is several weeks before Christmas. But English is not my native language so I am sorry about possible mistakes. PLEASE REVIEW. I'm very interested in knowing your opinion.

J. K. Rowling owns Harry Potter universe.

Chapter 1. How it all begins.

Thursday.

It was a pleasant winter day. Harry woke up early in the morning. Slowly he yawned, got up and looked through the window above his bed.

Everything around was white with thick layers of snow. He could see frozen lake, hided behind the leafless trees. Someone (possibly the Wesley twins) had built a large snowman in front of the entrance. It was really funny, as it has too big carrot nose, had an awry smile, made from several stones and little blue glittering eyes also from stones.

Harry was in very good mood. There were two and a half weeks left before Christmas holiday would start. Harry was delighted about the fact, that he didn't have to go back to the Dursleys on the holidays, instead he would stay at Hogwarts with his friend Ron. But his other friend Hermione would return to her parents on Christmas.

The Golden Trio had an important mission: they must found some information about Nicolas Flamel. They tried hard to do it the right way (that means without breaking any rules), spending countless hours in the library, looking trough different kinds of books but unfortunately they found nothing. So there was only one way left - go to the Restriction Section.

They didn't really know, how to do it, as they had to have special note from the teacher, but the friends even didn't know what book they need. The two remain boys had to do it during the holidays, because there would be not so many students at school.

But right now nobody thought about important issues. Everybody were excited with the coming end of term. There was a Christmas atmosphere everywhere. So students had become less concentrated and easily distracted in classes (but of course this statement didn't refer to Hermione).

By the way Harry got up and dressed. And then one thought visited his mind. The thought was far from happy. After that his mood fall down and become sour. He had just remembered, that the fist class today was Potions with Slytherins.

Nobody really understood, why Headmaster was so keen on doing Potions between the two houses, which hated each other the most. Indeed potions was one of the most dangerous lesson, because so many things could go wrong. For example Neville and Seamus always blew up their cauldrons, and that gave the Potion master, Severus Snape, perfectly good reason to take lots of points from his most hated house - Gryffindor.

Every Griffindor hated Potions. Snape constantly favored his own Slytherin students and was completely unfair toward students from other houses, especially Gryffindors.

Harry was Snape's least favorite student, he loathed him from the beginning of the year for some unknown reason. And this feeling was beginning to be mutual. Particularly after the last Quiddich match, when Snape had supposedly tried to kill Harry, jinxing his broom. Also the three friends were sure, that Snape had tried to steal something, the three headed dog, Fluffy, is guarding.

But Harry himself was poor in Potions. Unlike Hermione he didn't have very good concentration, especially, when brewing. He thought brewing was boring, and learning the names of different potions ingredients and the recipes was even more boring.

Harry waited till Ron wake up. Together they met Hermione in the Common room, and The Trio made they way to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Oh, noo, Potions! That greasy git will ruin all my Chrismas mood. I can bet he thought really hard, how to take more points from Griffindor before Christmas." Ron said.

"Year, that is right." Answered Harry.

"Harry, how do you think, can we skip it?" Ron asked hopefully.

"Don't even think about it, Ronald! Your marks are already poor enough. How are you going to pass your exams?" Hermione objected.

"I think Hermione is right, Ron. By the way if Snape finds out, we will be on detention till the end of the year."

So after breakfast Harry, Ron and Hermione descended to the dull and gloomy dungeons. The dungeons were possibly the coldest place in the whole castle. Harry even thought, that there was colder than outside. When they came to the classroom, everybody were already there, but the lesson hadn't begun. Snape sat behind his desk, reading one of the essays. When they entered, he looked up.

"You are late. Ten points from Gryffindor." Snape stated in his silk voice. "Sit down."

"But, sir, the lesson didn't start yet." Hermione said.

"Are you objecting me, Mis Granger? Five more points from Griffindor. Sit down. And if I have to say this again it will be twenty points." Snape said softly. Slytherins snickered.

Reluctantly the three friends took their seats in the back of the classroom.

"Wonderful beginning of the day." Ron murmured angrily. "I said, we had to skip this damn lesson." Hermione frowned at him at this words.

Few minuets late the potion master stood up and began to explain, what they were going to brew today.

"Today we brew the charm-revealing potion. It returns to the drinker his or her original, natural form. It's not very useful though. Thus it is not very complicated potion, so even the worst of you can brew the potion correctly." At these words Snape glared at Harry. "You may find instructions on the board," he flicked his wand and instructions magically appeared on the board. "or in your textbooks. You have two hours left. Begin. Now!"

Harry tried hard to concentrate on his potion, but his thoughts went in other directions. Such as Christmas, playing chess with Ron, the mystery of Nicolas Flamel, playing the snowball game with his housemates and ect...

As a result after hour or so Snape announced. "Now your potion is supposed to be bright purple."

Harry looked at his and it was...

"Green, Potter" said Snape, ladling some up and allowing to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see.

"Green. Tell me, Potter, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you look at the board, where is wrote, quite clearly, that only one tat spleen was needed? Isn't it stated, that a dash of leech juice would suffice?" Harry now was looking at his hands (which became suddenly very interesting) on the table.

Meanwhile the Potion master continued, giving Harry a look full of hatred. "Arrogant just like your father you are. He too always thought, he was so smart not to follow instructions. Of course they were not for him." Snape smirked evilly. "But you must remember, Potter, that being famous doesn't mean, that you can do nothing."

"Please, sir," interrupted Hermione, "please, I could help Harry put it right—"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went slightly pink. "Mr Potter, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few spoons of this potion to you and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly next time."

Snape moved away, leaving Harry breathless with fear. "Help me!" he moaned to Hermione.

By the end of the lesson Harry and Hermione managed to somehow correct Harry's potion, so it had right color and consistence.

The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Harry, who was cowering by his cauldron."Everyone gather 'round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Potter. If he has managed to produce a Charm-revealing potion, it will do nothing to Potter. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, he is likely to be poisoned."

Harry was now really scared. The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited.

"Don't worry Harry, the potion looks all right." Hermione whispered to Harry, Ron patted his shoulder. Snape picked up a small vial from the pocket of his robe and dipped a spoon into Harry's potion to fill the vial.

"Drink it, Potter." Snape said with a menacing smile giving the vial to Harry.

Harry knew, that if he didn't obey Snape most likely would take about 50 points and appoint detention or ,maybe, just force the liquid down Harry's throat. So as much as Harry wanted to smash the vial on the floor and cant his cauldron, he decided to obey. Harry took the vial with slight shaking hand, closed his eyes and gulped. There was a moment of hushed silence, in which everyone was waiting for something to happen. But then nothing happened...

The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape looked sour, on the faces of the Slytherins disappointment clearly was read.

"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. "I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed."

Harry, Ron and Hermione left the class, as fast as they could. The moment they were out of classroom, Ron began to seethe about Snape. "How can he did it? He could poison you?!" He ranted "And five points from Gryffindor, because the potion was all right!" Ron continued. "Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Harry did it all by himself! "

"No, I can't, Ron! He would know immediately, that it is lie." She yelled.

"Year, that is right. I sometimes think Snape can read minds..." Harry said dangerously. There was a minute of brooding silence.

"But the main thing is that you're all right, mate." Finally Ron stated with the smile.

"Yes, we are lucky that nothing happened with Harry." So the three friends agreed at this wise statement and went at their next lesson. Meanwhile nobody knew it only seemed, that nothing happened to Harry...


	2. Chapter 2 Unexpected changes

Chapter 2. Unexpected changes.

Friday.

"Harry, what did you do to your hair?" Ron asked suddenly at the breakfast the next morning.

"What's wrong with my hair?" Harry said nervously, touching his raven black locks.

"I don't know. But they looks flat and longer, almost down to your shoulders." Hermione answered for Ron. "Did you use some sort of gel or something?"

Harry noticed that his hair didn't felt like mop of untidy locks, but instead they were straight and silky, no longer unruly.

"No, I didn't. You would notice if I used." Harry murmured unsure. "Perhaps my hair started to look more like my mum's than my dad's."

"It's strange..." Hermione mused. "I mean, It's not common, the hair can't just start to look different. Only yesterday your hairs sticked up in every direction, and now they are completely flat."

"Are you sure you didn't use gel or charm, Harry?" Ron asked uncertainly looking thoughtful.

"Of course I'm sure, Ron! Or do you suppose I have a lapse of memory?" Harry answered, now irritated with the whole subject.

"Ok, ok. Fine." Ron rose his hands in defeat."Let's go to the Charms."

Saturday.

"Harry, are you feeling well?" Hermione asked at dinner.

"Yep." Harry answered eating his soup. "And why do you ask?"

"It's just...well." Hermione stumbled.

"You look pale, mate. I mean not pale like Malfoy but still paler than usual." Ron responded for Hermione.

"Maybe you should go to Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione offered.

"I will not go to the Hospital Wing because I feel OKEY. And, guys, let's stop discussing my physical appearance every day. I don't care how I look if I feel FINE." Harry snapped irritably.

Harry hated to go to the Hospital Wing. He didn't like that white walls and beds there. He feared, if he go to Pomfrey she will made him stay for the night, and Harry really didn't want it.

So it was some of the changes, that started to happen with Harry. But the most strange thing took place next day. Sunday.

The Golden Trio was sitting in the library, trying to do their Transfiguration essay. Well Ron was trying, but Harry and Hermione were writing confidently and very fast. As they had so many ideas in their heads that they didn't have enough time to write them all.

"Guys! Help me!" Ron moaned finally. "I don't have any ideas left."

"Ron, it's really the easiest essay McGonogall ever assigned." As Harry said it, his friends looked at him in surprise.

Ron first come to his senses. "What did you say?" He asked incredibly "It is as hard as ever."

"Really, Harry, I never thought, we can ever agree on this matter." Hermione backed Ron.

"But it's true. I don't know how to say..." Harry began to explain. "But I feel like ... I have so many thoughts and suggestions about this essay ... and others, that it's like, I don't have enough time to express them all on paper."

"Oh, Harry, it's brilliant! That is exactly, what I feel every time. Finally somebody understands me!" Hermione exclaimed cheerfully. "But I didn't know, that you feel that way too. By the way I thought you and Ron was always on the same side of complexity of our homework."

"Actually I have that feeling quite recently." Harry replied carefully. Hermione narrowed her eyes, as she suspected something but she didn't say anything.

"So are you, two geniuses, going to help me?" Ron questioned impatiently, returning to the essay.

"Very well." Hermione responded with a sigh. And the three friend continued doing their homework.

After two hours or so, when they were going to go to the Common room, Harry's vision suddenly started to turn a little blur. And then blurrier and blurrier by the second. Harry thought his glasses fogged, but it was not too cold there and not too hot. He took off and wiped them. It was then Harry noticed something strange. His vision without glasses was clear and perfect, even better, than it was with glasses on his nose. He now saw things,surrounding him, crispier than all his life.

"Harry, is something wrong with your glasses?" Hermione asked restlessly.

"No, not at all." Harry answered with a dreamy expression on his face. "I think my vision have improved..."

"What do you mean?" Ron and Hermione asked simultaneously.

"I mean I can see now perfectly well without glasses. Isn't it great?" Harry responded smiling wide.

"Yeah, mate, it is. But it's a little bit weird, don't you see?" Ron replied with odd look.

"Harry, I strongly suggest you to see Madam Pomfrey." Hermione recommended. "These changes the past few days ... your hair, the color your skin, improvement or your eyesight... I also noticed that your concentration considerably increased. You didn't distract by nothing when doing your homework. Your work was much less productive the past half-year. No offense."

"None taken." Harry frowned. "But what do you mean by that, Hermione?"

"These changes... they started accrued the day after you drank that potion at Thursday." The girl answered uncertainly.

"You mean this potion influence Harry?" This time it was Ron, who asked.

"Yes, sort of it..."

"By the way I still am NOT going to the Hospital Wing." Harry sails stubbornly.

"But Harry you don't understand." Hermione replied irritably. "It was charm revealing potion. That means, there was a charm on you, and now it's wearing off."

"So what?" Harry asked.

"Year, Hermione, these changes aren't bad. On the contrary the last two were for the better." Ron supported his friend.

"That is the point, 'Mione" Harry agreed with the smile. Hermione frowned once again, but this time said nothing. She really didn't think, the process had stopped, and she supposed, that there certainly would be other changes, good or bad.

In the end of the day Harry started to be chased by the very interesting sensation. It was like he really wanted to do something, but in the same time he actually didn't know, what exactly he wanted to do. It was in fact very disturbing. As he tried to do many things, but nothing seemed capable to satisfy this importunate feeling. He read, played in chess with Ron, write his essays. He even tried to draw once. But it was all in vain, because the sensation only increased. That continued, until it was timed to go to bed.

At night Harry had an odd dream. It was not a nightmare, it was just a harmless dream. He was brewing a potion in it. But all the same Harry didn't recognize the potion, he certainly never brew it. In the morning Harry wasn't sure was it a nightmare or not. He didn't like Potions (or so he thought), and Harry was absolutely sure, that he hadn't had such a dream before. But there was not Snape in it. So Harry decided it was just a dream.

Today there was Potions between Gryffindors and Slytherins as usual. They were brewing a rather difficult potion. But for Harry it was surprisingly easy. The feeling that was chasing him yesterday had vanished without a trace. Harry was completely dumbfounded by that.

By the way the boy was absorbed by the process of brewing entirely. He noticed nothing around him and was distracted by nothing. He began to like to cut the ingredients, to put them neatly on his desk, to stir his potion... Harry didn't even detect the suspicious states, the Potion master was giving him all the class or his nasty remarks.

In the end of the lesson Harry's potion was the best in class, even though Snape completely ignored it. He just examine Harry's potion, glared at the boy suspiciously and go away. Nothing betrayed Severus's great astonishment.

All the lesson Severus tried to understand, what was wrong with Potter. The brat didn't look like Potter at all. His appearance became different, perhaps. Yes, exactly. His hair was no longer unruly like James Potter's, and they become longer. Potter seemed paler. Maybe he is ill? But the most strange thing was, that the boy didn't wear glasses anymore. Was he wearing lens from now on or did his vision improve? But Severus seriously doubted the last one was correct. And without glasses the brat looked much less like James Potter. The Potion master considered to talk to Dumbledore about this sometime.

But the boy was working with such concentration, which could be compared with Granger's... Severus was completely astonished by the brilliant potion, the boy made. It was literally flawless. He didn't find a single thing to arraign. Nobody in his class ever made this potion so ideal. It was bizarre, that the Potter's brat was the first one. Because neither Lily Evans nor James Potter were so good in potions. But Severus certainly wasn't about to praise the boy, he was the Potter's spawn after all.

Author's note.

Thank you for reading:)) I corrected some mistakes and slightly changed some parts (I was in hurry when I was writing these chapters), but you hardly see the difference. So what do you think? Please review. Besides I think the next chapter will be quite amusing. Harry will see something interesting in the Mirror of Erised...


	3. Chapter 3 The Mirror of Erised

My longest chapter:) Enjoy!

Chapter 3. The Mirror of Erised.

The last two weeks were uneventful at all, except for the fact, that Harry continued to change. He noticed his knees didn't appear knobby any longer. As well he grew up a couple of inches, so he had got as tall as Ron, also his fingers had become long and slender. As a result his handwriting had altered a little. It no more was looking like chicken scratch, but on the opposite it was neat and small.

All along of it Harry had problems with his essays. The teachers, especially Snape, accused him in cheating. They thought, that someone else was writing his homework for his. Thus Harry after every class the past week was writing some sentences in teacher's presence, so he could prove, that it was him, who wrote his exercises.

All that did not pass unnoticed by Hermione. She continued decoct, that Harry should go to Madam Pomfrey or any other teacher. But Harry remained blind to her requests as long as there was no harm from it. Meantime Hermione made some trips to the library to gather some information on this subject.

By the way these adjustments occurred not only in Harry's physical appearance. The rest two weeks before the end of the term Harry was excellent in Potions, he brewed ideal potions (even better than Hermione's) every single lesson. At first Snape was sure, Harry was cheating. But when he started to observe Harry closely every lesson, he understood, that he was wrong, as the boy did everything by himself and never looked at Hermione or on anyone else. So Snape really had no choice but to give Outstanding for that. He wrote O on Harry's list with such an expression on his face as though it gave him an unbearable pain. Also his potion essays were brilliant these days. Snape only once found some thing to low Harry's mark. He said, that his essay was too long. So all, was left to the Potion master, was to give Harry snide remarks and sneering at him.

And even more, Harry couldn't resist his desire to read the Potion textbook in his free time. This really shocked Ron and Hermione, especially Ron, to no end, not to mention, that they were already shocked by Harry's excellence in Potions. But of course he had spent some of his time on Quiddich practices, and he enjoyed them too.

Also Harry had found new unexpected ability to memories the ingredients' names and the order to add them to the potion very easily. He even started to read additional Potion books.

As well Harry started to love reading very much. Before he too like it, but now he was reding and studying as much as Hermione. So Ron was left to follow their examples.

These changes didn't went unnoticed by the teachers, Snape and Dumbledore in particular, who were looking on Harry very closely. To say, that they were confused, is to say nothing.

"I cannot fathom, what wrong with the boy!" Severus ranted at the first day of Christmas vacation in The Headmaster's office as Fawkes, the phoenix, was looking at him with curiosity from his perch. "He don't look quite like Potter anymore. He don't wear glasses for some unknown reason, his handwriting now don't look like chicken scratch and he ... he did the flawless potions on the last four lessons ... even Granger girl can't do it! But he was daft at potions from the beginning of the year, and now such a progress. And his last essays ... For all of my desire I mark them less than Exceed Expectations!"

"Severus, please, calm down and sit." Dumbledore said. Severus took a deep breath and calm a little, then did as Dumbledore asked. "I guess you should be happy, that young Harry shows such a good work at your classes, Severus..."

"No, no, you don't understand, Albus!" Severus cut off. "Don't you know, what happened to me last Saturday?"

"No, Severus, enlight me." Dumbledore responded calmly.

"I was walking in the courtyard in the early evening," Severus began to explain. "When I met the Infamous Trio, sitting on the bench. Granger and Weasley were discussing something, and Potter... Potter was reading the book. Not Quidditch Trough The Ages, not any other stupid Quidditch trash. He was reading the POTION book!"

"Oh, Severus, don't you think, Harry was just doing his assignment?" Headmaster asked.

"But it was not just first year textbook, it was not even additional book, I advised the first years to read for their essays. It was ... . This book is very advanced and hard to read, only fifth years read it, but only those, who want to know more information about the subject." The Potion master continued. "And the brat was reading it with his nose literally buried in the book! With such interest, crossed his face, as it was the most entertaining thing, he has ever read! So I just took away the book and..."

"...you took points from Gryffindor." Dumbledore said for Severus.

"Yes exactly. But after hour or so Potter dared to come to my office and to ask for his book back!"

"It seems, that Harry really like this book otherwise he would not come to the office of the fearful Potion master..." Headmaster responded with the smile. "And by the way, Severus, I think, you should be proud, that one of your students began to show so big passion in your subject. It's your merit as a teacher."

"But it can't be, as I am horrible to him at class and not only there. And no way the mediocre, arrogant Potter's spawn can suddenly became so brilliant at Potions." Severus insisted. "There must be something... Do you have any ideas about these sudden changes, Albus?"

"Firstly, I want to repeat, that you see, what you expected to see in the boy. And I ask you, Severus, to judge Harry by his choices, behavior and actions but not by sins of his father. Please, don't pay so much attention to his outside appearance." Dumbledore said.

But pity, nothing was capable to reassure Severus at the moment. He stubbornly saw James Potter in Harry. He didn't know nothing about Harry's hard childhood, that was so much like Severus'. He didn't know the boy's real character, that in reality was so much like Lily's. Only that myth, which he had created to himself.

"And secondly to answer your question, I have several suggestions, but I am not sure in any of them, so I won't voice them." The Headmaster states in tone, which meant the end of discussion. So Severus stood up and was about to leave, when Dumbledore asked.

"Keep an eye on Quirrell, won't you?"

"Of course, Headmaster." Was the only answer before the Potion master stormed out of the room, his cloak billowing after him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione had still been searching books for Flamel's name, because how else were they going to find out what Snape was trying to steal? The trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

"What are you looking for, boy?"

"Nothing."said Harry.

Madam Pince the librarian brandished a feather duster at him. "You'd better get out, then. Go on—out!"

Wishing he'd been a bit quicker at thinking up some story, Harry left the library. He, Ron, and Hermione had already agreed they'd better not ask Madam Pince where they could find Flamel. They were sure she'd be able to tell them, but they couldn't risk Snape hearing what they were up to.

Five minutes later, Ron and Hermione joined him, shaking their heads. They went off to lunch and after that Hermione will have to depart home.

"You will keep looking while I'm away, won't you?" said Hermione. "And send me an owl if you find anything."

"And you could ask your parents if they know who Flamel is." said Ron. "It'd be safe to ask them."

"Very safe, as they're both dentists," said Hermione.

On Christmas Eve, Harry went to bed looking forward to the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all. When he woke early in the morning, however, the first thing he saw was a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.

"Merry Christmas." Said Ron sleepily as Harry scrambled out of bed and pulled on his bathrobe.

"You, too." Said Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"

"What did you expect, turnips?" Said Ron, turning to his own pile, which was a lot bigger than Harry's.

So Harry began to unwrap his presents. He found a friendly note (well kind of it) from his aunt and uncle with the fifty pence piece, also he received a brand new Weasley sweater and a large box of homemade fudge from Ron's mum, as well as the wooden flute made by Hagrid himself and the large box of different sorts of candies from Hermione. But the most extraordinary present was from Albus Dumbledore, or so Harry thought as the note in the parcel was anonymous.

Your father left this in my possession before he died.

It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well.

A Very Merry Christmas to you.

It was an Invisibility Cloak, a very rare thing according to Ron.

The Christmas dinner was wonderful. There were loads of food on the tables. Also there were stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought. Harry pulled a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice.

It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbed into bed was he free to think about it: the Invisibility Cloak.

Harry leaned over the side of his own bed and pulled the cloak out from under it.

His father's… this had been his father's. He let the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.

He had to try it, now. He slipped out of bed and wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he saw only moonlight and shadows. It was a very funny feeling. Use it well.

Suddenly, Harry felt wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts was open to him in this cloak. Excitement flooded through him as he stood there in the dark and silence. He could go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.

He crept out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbed through the portrait hole. Harry decided not to wake Ron, as he wanted to use the Cloak alone the first time.

But where should he go? The answer came immediately. The Restricted Section. He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. He set off, drawing the Invisibility Cloak tight around him as he walked.

The Restricted Section was right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separated these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles.

They didn't tell him much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand.

One book caught Harry's eye. He pulled it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, let it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek split the silence—the book was screaming! Harry snapped it shut, but the shriek went on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbled backward and knocked over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside—stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, he ran for it. He passed Filch in the doorway. Harry slipped under Filch's outstretched arm and streaked off up the corridor.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library Restricted Section."

Harry felt the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he was, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice was getting nearer, and to his horror, it was Snape who replied. "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

He backed away as quietly as he could. A door stood ajar to his left. It was his only hope. He squeezed through it, holding his breath, trying not to move it, and to his relief he managed to get inside the room without their noticing anything. Snape and Filch walked straight past, and Harry leaned against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. It was a few seconds before he noticed anything about the room he had hidden in.

It was a magnificent mirror in the middle of the room, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame, standing on two clawed feet. There was an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. His panic fading now that there was no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moved nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again. He stepped in front of it.

A woman standing right behind his reflection was smiling at him and waving. He had to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirled around. But the room was completely empty. Harry turned slowly back to the mirror. He reached out a hand and felt the air behind him. If she was really there, he'd touch her, their reflections were so close together, but he felt only air. She existed only in the mirror.

She was a very pretty woman. She had dark red hair and her eyes. 'Her eyes are just like mine.' Harry thought, edging a little closer to the glass. Bright green, exactly the same shape, but then he noticed that she was crying, smiling, but crying at the same time. Harry was so close to the mirror now that his nose was nearly touching that of his reflection.

"Mum?" He whispered softly. The woman nodded slightly.

Then another person appeared next to her. It was tall, thin man. He had a shoulder length raven black hair, hooked nose and black depthless eyes. The moment Harry saw him, his heart almost stopped, the dread washed over him. Oh, no, Snape found him... Snape was going to kill him literally. It was a great chance for him, as there was no one here, except for Harry and Snape unlike on the Quidditch field with lots of people. Slowly Harry turned around to face the last person he wanted to meet in the middle of the night. But he saw nothing behind him... Snape like his mum existed only in the mirror.

But then Snape did something unexpected and completely uncharacteristic: he SMILED at Harry. It was not sneer or teasing or grimace. It was wide friendly pleasant smile. Harry didn't think, Snape could do it. And the most strange thing was, that this smile went straight to his eyes, which began to shine with... It definitely was not abhorrence or disgust, Harry was so capable to see in his eyes, when Snape looked at him. It was the same glitter, that shined in his mother's eyes. Could it be love? 'No, absolutely not.' Harry thought. 'Severus Snape cannot love, and certainly he can't look him, Harry, like that.' The man was always cold and emotionless, and now he was smiling with pure love? Snape's black eyes did not seem like black holes, but on the contrary they were alive and cheery. Harry also noticed, that the Potion master looked remarkably younger in the mirror.

After that Snape waved at the boy and put a hand on Harry's reflection as Lily did. Then Snape put his other arm around Lily, and they both continued to smile at Harry.

Harry did not know what to think about the mirror. On one side he felt happy and joyful to see his mother, as well as sadness was rolling over him, as he knew she was long ago dead.

On the other side ... what Snape was doing here? And why he is smiling and waving at him, not sneering? Where was his father? Why at the very least Snape was hugging his mother? But Harry did not have an answer on these endless questions. All this was truly bizarre.

But for some unknown reason Harry did not want to leave. Something was keeping the boy in front of the mirror, and he continued to look at his mum and young Snape. Maybe because he simply wanted to be with his mother for some time, maybe because he liked the whole picture of the united family in front of him, which member he now was, even though it was strange...

The time passed, and Harry continued to stare at the magic mirror. The reflections did not fade and he looked and looked until a distant noise brought him back to his senses. He couldn't stay here, he had to find his way back to bed. He tore his eyes away from his mother's face, whispered. "I'll come back," and hurried from the room.

Author's note.

All characters belong to J. K. Rowling, as well as Harry Potter universe. Some parts of this chapter were taken from "HP and Sorcerer's Stone".

So what do you think about my fic? You may send me your ideas and suggestions about possible events in the future.

Do you understand why The Mirror of Erised suddenly showed Lily and Severus, not Lily and James? If not, I think you'll indeed understand it in the future chapter. So rear and review!


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